Signaling device



Dec. 4, 1928.

H. W. HENRY SIGNALING DEVICE Filed March l:' 1924 Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD W. HENRY, OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, 'BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO DELCO-REMY CORPORATION, OF DAYTON, OI-IIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SIGNALING DEVIGE.

Application filed March 13, 1924. Serial No. 698.908.

This invention relates to signaling devices and is herein shown as embodied in a diaphragm horn of the buzzer type.

Automobile horns of the buzzer type, as hitherto proposed, have had an armature supported by a spring which had to be flexed to allow the armature to oscillate. Such a spring, if supported at one end, requires the armature to move in an aro which has an undesirable effect on the magnet and spring and, if supported at both ends, the spring is hard to flex or requires the bending of the supporting parts thus using up energy which should be utilized to vbrate the diaphragm. In other cases, the electrical contact, which must be repeatedly interrupted, is not susceptible of easy adjustment particularly without changing the air gap between the armature and magnet or without interfering with the amplitude or period of vibration of the dia phragm actuating plunger which should bear a certain relation to the natural period of vibration of the diaphrgm. Some proposed horns require the bending of some metal part to adjust the electrical contact and this is hard to control to the fine degree necessary for eflicient operation.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a diaphragm horn which will eliminate the above mentioned and other disadvan tages. Another object is to provide an eflicient horn which can be manufactured at low cost. Another object is to provide a horn which can be adjusted in an improved manner. Stillanother object is to provide a more effective horn.

To these ends and also to improve generally upon devices of the character indicated my invention consists iu the various matters hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to thedrawings, Figure 1 is a. section through the center of the horn.

Figure 2 is an end view with the back shell or cap removed. V

Figure 3 is an enlarged section taken at right angles to the section of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail plan view of a contact plate.

Figure 5 is a detail plan view of the contact spring.

Figure 6 is an end view of thehrn.with the back shell and vibrating parts removed and Figure 7 is a sectional view of the back shell.

In Figure 1, 10 indcates the usual sound projector having a head at its inner end attached to a surrounding collar 12. A diaphragm 14 with gaskets at its periphery is clamped by means ofbolts 16 between the collar 12 and a peripheral flange 18 on a plate or partition 20. A magnet core 22 is attached to the center of the partition and, passing freely through the core, is a diaphragm actuating plunger 24 which, in the normal position of the parts, does not quite contact with the center of the diaphragm. A magnetic yoke 26 0f soft stel has a base 28 with a lug 30 struck up from it to enter an opening in partition 20 to hold the yoke against turning. The base of the yoke is held between the partition and a shoulder on the core by the upset reduced end of the core as shown in Figure 1. Arms 32 are bent outwardly from the sides of the yoke and carry, in opemngs near their ends, pins 34 Which loosely engage in slots 38 formed at the ends of a series of flat springs 36 which bridge the space between the arms of the yoke. The slotted connection provides a slidable connection which facilitates the flexure of the springs without any tendency to bend the arms 32 of the yoke. An armature 40 is threaded on the plunger and held in adjusted position by a nut 42 threaded on the end of the plunger against the springs 36.

A magnet coil 44 surrounds an insulating sleeve onthe core 22 and the windings are from between the sides of the yoke and at, right angles to the springs. Eyelets 54, in"

openings near the end of the supporting plate, have their ends upset against the plate and surrounding the eyelets are insulating bushings 56, these latter extending from the plate 52.to the upper upset ends of the eyelets. Sleeved on the bushings in superposed relation are spacing plates 58, an insulating plate 60, anda contact interrupter or spring 62. The spring carries a projection or contact 64 which projects upwardly through an opening in a sheet of insulation 66 Which ex: tends into the path of the under side of the armature. The contact spring 62, as shown in Figure 5, is slotted as at 68 to enclose the bushings 56 and has an enlarged terminal portion 70 to which the wire 72 leading to the magnet coil is attached as by soldering. On the insulation 66 isa spacer 74 which suports an upper contact plate 76. This plate 6 carries a pr0jection or contact 78 normally contacting with the projection 64 and the plate 76, as shown in Figure 4, is slotted at 80 to surround the bushings 56 and has an enlarged terminal portion 82 to which a lead wire 84 is attached. On the plate 76 is a layer 86 of insulation, the letter in turn supporting a spacer 88which engages the upper' upset end of the eyelets.

On the under side of the armature near the periphery is an inclined cam face 90 the slope of which is comparatively:steep as com pared to the pitch of the threads on the plunger 24. Therefore, by a slight rotative adjustment of the armature on the plunger,

a considerable range of contact adjustment is aflorded without, in any material degree, interfering with the position ofthe plunger with respect to the diaphragm and without materially afl'ecting the gap between the armature and the magnet core. Furtherm0re, with the armature in its correct position of adjustment with respect to the contact sprin the rod 24 may be turned to adjust it wit respect to the diaphragm without interfering with the first adjustment. The lead wire 84 and the wire 72, after the latter has traversed the core windings, are connected to terminals onthe inner endsof terminal screws 92 which are supported by lugs 94 struck u from openings*96 in the partition 20 as shown in Figure 6. An insulatixg strip 98 surrounds the ends of the terminal screws and bridges the space between the r letter and serves as a brace for the struck up parent t the magnet will bring the cam face 90 against theinsulation 66 overlying the contact spring lugs. Inner insulating bushings 100 insulate the terminal Screwsfrom the lugs. 94 and outer insulating bushings 102 insulate the lugs from the binding nuts.

Enclosing and protecting the vibrating parts is a back shell or cap 104 having slots 106 embracing the other insulating bushings 102. Near the inner edge of the back shell are ribs or beads 108 arrange'd to engage in corresp0nding depressions 110 formed on a cylindrical portion of the partition 20, ,thus

furnishing a means for readily removing and the shell. In operation, it is apattachin at attraction of the armature by 62 and will ihterrupt the contact between the projections 64 and 78. The Springs 36 are easily flexed by reason of their slotted connection with the yoke and op ose little resistance to the movement o :the plunger against the diaphragm. When the contact is broken, the springs, assisted by the diaphragm, carry the armature back to release the contact spring and remake the electr1cal contact.

Although the invention has been described by reference to a specific construction, it should be understood that, in its broader aspects, the invention is not necessarily limited to the precise construction selected for illustrative purposes.

I claim:

, l. In apparatus of the character described, a horn having a diaphragm, an electro-magnet mounted adjacent to the diaphragm, a contact interrupter, an armature.havmg a sloping cam face arranged to strike said interrupter, means for transmitting movement of said armature to the diaphragm, and means for rotatabl adjusting the armature to vary the point o contact of said sloping cam face with said interrupter, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a horn having a diaphragm, an electro-magnet mounted adjacent to the diaphragm, a contact interrupter, an armature havmg a sloping cam face arranged to strike said interrupter, a plunger for transmitting movement 0f said armature to thediaphragm, and a threaded connection between the plunger.

and the armature to allow rotative adjustthe armature.

4. An apparatus of the character described, a horn having a diaphragm, an electro-magnet mounted adjacent to the diaphragm; a circuit interrupter including tact member; an armature aving a surface lying in a plane inclined to the mov'able contact member, said surface engaging said contact member; meansior transmitting movement of said armature to the diaphragm, and means for rotatably adjusting the armature to vary the point of engagement of the move able contact with the armature.

5. An apparatus of the character described, a horn having a diaphragm,an electro-magnet mounted adjacent the diaphragm and having a winding and a magnetizable frame; a circuit interrupter including a niovable con: tact blade; an armature carried by the frame a movable conof the electro-magnet and movable in a path substantially at right angles to the plane of the movable contact blade, said armature having a surface lying in a plane inclined to the plane of said movable contact blade, Which surface engages said blade; means for transmitting movement of said armature to the diaphragm; and means for rotatably adjusting the armature to vary the point of engagement of the movable contact With the armature.

6. An apparacus of the character described;

a h0rn having a diaphragm, an electro-magnet mcunted adjaceut the diaphragrh; a circuit interrupter including a movable contact member; a plunger adapted to strike the diaphragm; an armature screw-threadedly engaging on the plunger and having a surface lying in a plane inc1ined to the movab1e contact with Which said surface engages, the screw threads on the plunger and armature sloping a substantially lesser degree than the inclined surface of the armature.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

\ HOWARD W. HENRY. 

